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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela has expressed worry over frequent road crashes in the state which has claimed many lives and rendered others incapacitated saying that most of the accidents are caused by human error and judgement therefore avoidable.
The worried Baba Tela also described road traffic crashes in the state as a cankerworm that has been causing destruction to the people.
The Deputy Governor said this on Thursday while inaugurating Bauchi State Road Safety Advisory Council, in his office saying that something must be done urgently to curb the menace.
He said that the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy II (2021-2030) is an update to the maiden Road Safety Strategy and a Nigeria response to a call by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution of March 2020 declaring the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety from 2011-2020 for global action on Road Safety.
According to him, “As you are aware, the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy defines and guides the implementation of viable initiatives and programs across its five pillars espouse by the Safe System Approaches. The aim is to reduce Road Traffic Crash Fatality rate by 50% during the period of coverage (2021-2030)”.
He added that, “After reviewing the maiden NRSS, the South West region achieved 41% of the set initiatives. Following this, the South East Region which achieved 29%. The least performing regions were North West (12%) and North East (13%)” .
Baba Tela added that, “The inauguration of Bauchi State Road Safety Council (SaRSAC) is therefore timely and useful for all the parties and persons responsible for Road Safety Management in the State. These include all relevant stakeholders comprising Federal, State and Local Governments as well as their applicable agencies, relevant private sectors”.
He also said that, “Companies, key non-governmental Organizations, Development Partners, Donor agencies, research institutions, Civil
Society groups, all hands most be deck to say NO to Road Traffic Crashes a canker worm that has been eating deep into our flesh,”.
The Deputy Governor therefore, called for the support and cooperation of all and sundry and their buy-in so as to achieve the set objectives of the SARSAC and as well diagnose the road safety challenges in Bauchi State stressing that efforts must be geared towards the implementation of these strategies by ensuring that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies play their roles.
He said that each representative from the MDAs and security agencies that made up the Council will be selected to form a technical working group which will be saddled with the responsibilities of “assessing challenges of Road Safety all over the 4000KM Road network in Bauchi State after which possible solutions will be forwarded to the National Council headed by the Vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria professor Yemi Osinbajo.”
According to him, the inauguration will provide enabling opportunity to showcase to the international communities, what the state needs in relation to road safety pointing out that “some of the numerous road safety challenges in Bauchi State include: Constant eroded roads, narrow band failed bridges, failed road texture, lack of adequate road furniture, among others” .
“The World Bank palliatives through this strategy will address most of these challenges as plans have reached advance stage to install surveillance cameras along World Bank corridors Bauchi, Darazo and Potiskum inclusive,” he stated.
Earlier in his speech, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Bauchi State, Yusuf Abdullahi, said that the Council is the driver of the United Nations document that provides ten years road map on how to achieve maximum Safety on our roads for best road culture and Economic prosperity.
He said: “The council will be saddled with the responsibility of implementing this Policy Document as a guide in achieving maximum safety on our roads by identifying challenges and suggesting possible solutions recommended for the National Council action” .
According to Yusuf Abdullahi, “It is imperative to know that council members will make a Technical Working Group (TWG) which will operate at the grassroot in all ramifications across board ranging from youth Education on road safety, improve equipment in Truman centres in health facilities, improve security on our roads, enacting laws to improve compliance to traffic rules and regulations etc. While ministry of Works and Transport and Local Govt and Chieftains affairs will provide an enabling atmosphere to ensure success in the implementation process”.
He said, “Finally I appeal to all council member that all hands most remain on deck to make Bauchi State RTC free as soon as possible.”
Secretary to Bauchi State Government (SSG), Barrister Ibrahim Kashim stressed the importance of safety on the the roads across the state in order to reduce to the barest minimum fatal accidents on the roads.
Represented by the Special Adviser in his office, Hashim Yakubu, the SSG assured that government will do everything possible to ensure that all roads in the state are safe adding that the Advisory Council will do its best to educate the public on safety of the roads.
